


Breath of the Wild flash fictions

by TheUnicornFountain



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: 500 words, Flash Fiction, Gen, as long as I can manage before running out of material that is, may be some violence/blood later
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-12
Updated: 2016-09-20
Packaged: 2018-07-23 12:17:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 7,758
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7462971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheUnicornFountain/pseuds/TheUnicornFountain
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>To help myself deal with the long wait until <em>Breath of the Wild</em> releases, I've decided to try and do flash fictions of 500 words or less.</p><p>The stories follow Link in the BotW world that we know of, with some expansion on the known world based on conjecture, theories, and personal headcanons. The stories are part of one long story, but one without any overarching plot. They're just snapshots, in a way.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Rebirth

**Author's Note:**

> Please enjoy, thank you!

### Rebirth

The warm water surrounded him. It pressed against his skin and filled his lungs, yet he wasn’t afraid. Some distant part of himself found comfort in this oddly familiar feeling. Here, he was cared for. Here, he didn’t need to worry about anything. The world ticked away around him, but he paid it no mind; tranquil within the water’s intimate embrace.

When the water broke away, receding into the capsule that surrounded him, it left him feeling lost and confused. He sat up and looked around the dark chamber. He felt compelled to leave the hard bed beneath him, so he shifted over the low side and straightened onto his feet. The remnant water dripped off of him as he walked to a column that stood to the left of the room. The column came to life with lights and whirrs of sound, and it dispensed a rectangular device adorned with an eye on one side. Something about it was familiar.

_That is a Sheikah Slate. Take it._

That voice… Only now did he realize he was woken up by this bodiless woman’s soft tones. There was a familiar element to her as well. Her words warmed him much like the water had done. He followed the voice’s instructions and took up the Slate, using it to open up a door before advancing further. The voice urged him, but alongside her was an inbred impulse to keep pushing forward. 

_Link…_

Link? Link… Yes, _Link._ That was his name. He waited for the slew of missing memories to appear on his name’s heels, but he was disappointed. He knew of nothing aside from this dark chamber. But that was about to change. A second swipe of the Slate triggered a tall door to open, and light spilled into the chamber for the first time in who knew how long. Link squinted against it. It made his eyes throb for a few seconds, and he felt a strange desire to flee from it; to put the destiny the voice spoke of behind him, and return to the warmth of the water.

Again, impulse drove Link forward; up a broken staircase and out of a cave mouth into a world of such vastness that he could only stop and stare. Sights, sounds, and smells overwhelmed him. He could make no immediate sense out of any of it. The wind pulled at his sidelocks and ponytail; the aroma of fresh flowers flooded his nose; everything moved around him, punctuated by an individual sound for each… 

One motion in particular turned Link’s head to the right, and he watched an old man turn away from him some distance down the hill. Curiosity and the scent of food guided Link to the old man’s campfire. After feigning an intimidating presence, the old man encouraged Link to take a seat and help himself to a baked apple. It was warm to the touch, tender, and delicious.

The old man cleared his throat. “This is the Great Plateau...”


	2. Bloodthirsty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link has his first run-in with some monsters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please enjoy, thank you!

### Bloodthirsty

It didn’t take Link long to discover how _strong_ his body was. Before putting on the threadbare clothes the old man had given him, he had noticed the defined muscles in his torso, arms, and legs. But it wasn’t until he picked up a discarded axe that he realized his body wasn’t just for show. The axe had a large head, almost wider than Link’s chest, and its weight dragged his hands down. But he could swing it in any way that struck him, and the blows hit sound and true. Felling a tree took only a few swings, and as for the roaming monsters… Well…

 _Bokoblins._ The name came to Link when he first set eyes on a group of them. They had set up a small camp in a clearing amongst some ruins. The monsters were occupied with celebrating a spit of meat roasting over their fire. Close by, their rudimentary wooden shields and broad clubs rested against a log. 

Link raised a hand to take hold of the axe’s slightly curled grip. He was hunched behind a large boulder and was eyeing the camp. Instinctively, he knew the monsters were a threat not only to him, but also the mission the voice had hinted at. Even now she urged him to go to a certain point. He had paused here to study the monsters. A shield would be useful, and the club could work as a lighter weapon… He pulled the axe out of its sling.

The bokoblins had little time to react. Link crept closer through the tall grass until he could spring up between them and their weapons. A battle cry left his lips, and he swung the axe in a devastating blow when two of the three drew close enough. They were downed at once with chests bleeding from a gaping slash. Still, they had fight in them. They joined their unharmed brother to surround Link on three sides. He backed up, knocking over the clubs. As one, the bokoblins dove for their weapons.

Link set both hands in a tight grip above the axe’s knot, and he spun on his heels. The axe whipped out in a sharp-edged circle. It added to two of the bokoblins’ wounds, killing them, and inflicted a fatal blow to the third’s neck. When the monster didn’t die fast enough, Link swung the axe down into its chest. 

The bodies vanished into black licks of flame, leaving Link hunched over the cocked axe, breathing hard. Monster blood spotted his arms and shirt. It had all felt so natural…

Thirst and hunger pulled Link to the campfire where he found waterskins to wet his throat. The smell of the meat drew his attention next. There was no knife nearby, so he dug at it with his hands; tearing off chunks of half-raw meat and stuffing it into his mouth. A mix of blood and juice dripped down his chin.


	3. Residuum

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link checks out a temple.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did say "daily" was a loose term... However, I hope to do a better job than once a week.
> 
> Please enjoy, thanks!

### Residuum

There was a ruined temple on a small hill. The old man had pointed it out to Link, and curiosity drew him to its broken grounds. He knew nothing of his past, but this Temple of Time might hold some answers. 

Upon coming to the ruins, Link dispatched a few Bokoblins that were idling at the entrance. Monsters of a different sort were sunk into the ground or petrified against the temple walls; moss and rust spreading across them told of the long years that had slid by. Their positioning struck Link as odd. It was as if they were storming the temple when, all at once, they ceased moving. 

Inside the temple, plant life was rampant. Link found the tall effigy of a goddess whose name he couldn’t recall. He cleared away the worst of the weeds around her and dropped to a knee with head bowed. He could almost feel the warmth of her smile on the back of his neck. He only wished he had more to offer her than the empty prayers of an amnesiac.

The roof was a patchwork of broken tiles and fractured beams. Link walked through a hole in a wall and began to climb the exterior of the temple. His hands were covered in callouses, so the going wasn’t too rough. Climbing felt as natural as fighting. His eyes spied hand and footholds where others would see only a crack or jut of rock. Where had this skill come from?

On top of the roof, Link moved carefully. He tested each step before putting his full weight onto the foot, and in this manner made his slow way to the steeple. The lightning rod on top beckoned him. He marked its straight line against the cloudy sky before beginning to climb. He expected the rod to be too slick for scaling, but here the passing time had helped instead of hindered. The collected dirt—deposited by past rains—gave Link the grip he needed to reach the rod’s peak. There he paused to rest with a hand wrapped tightly around the rod. He could see for miles, and taking in the daunting size of the world put a knot in his stomach. The feeling twisted further when his eyes fell onto a black castle veiled in dark energy. Thick columns of stone surrounded it, angled towards the castle as if they were fortifications. 

_Link... Link... LINK._

The voice was in his ears, but she wasn’t speaking in only the present. Even as she reiterated her advice to seek out the point on his Sheikah Slate, Link was remembering a similar voice from long ago. The clash of past and present loosened his grip, and he slipped down the rod to land hard on his rear atop the steeple roof. 

_Link… It’s all right._

He took what little comfort he could from her voice. He felt cold all of a sudden. He wished he was back in the warm embrace of the water.


	4. Deluge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link has a rough first night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Please enjoy!

### Deluge

The cloud cover had thickened all day, and now rain poured down from a starless night sky. Link was drenched. His thin clothes provided little protection from the raindrops, and he still hadn’t found any boots; the mud got into the scrapes in his soles. 

Cover from the storm was hard to find. Link was too cold and hungry to deal with anything he came across, so he moved on from each potential shelter when he found it occupied by animals, or worse. If only he could get off of the plateau… But the old man had warned him off of that, citing guaranteed death.

Finally, out of the wet darkness, a conical shape emerged. Link made his way to it; slipping on rough rock and cutting his left foot, but trudging on. It was a strange structure covered in carvings. A small pedestal stood nearby, and a dais sat before the cave-like entrance. It wasn’t deep, but it was dry and empty. Link stepped into it and sat down against the inside with a tired groan on his lips. His eyes closed minutes later.

He had a strange dream. A shadow emerged from the storm and entered the shelter. A spark flashed against the walls, and steadier firelight replaced it. Link found himself curling up as close to the fire as he dared. It dried his clothes and soothed the chill in his bones. The shadow took a seat down across from him.

When Link woke up, it was morning. The fire was still burning, and the shadow was still seated. It was the old man. He was working on the sole of a new boot, but he paused in his work when Link sat up. “Good morning,” he greeted while Link yawned. “I found you shivering like a newborn foal last night. You have a lot to learn about surviving in the wild. Here, try this on.” 

Link caught the boot that was tossed to him over the fire. When he made to slide it on, he found his feet cleaned and the cut bandaged. He eased the boot carefully over the latter and found it fit snug and comfortably. 

“Good,” the old man said when Link nodded his approval; the matching boot was tossed over next. “You have a lot to learn,” he repeated while Link pulled on the second boot. “I have no plans for today, so I’ll teach you some things. You need to learn how to cook, and that means learning how to track game and knowing what things are safe to eat. You need to learn how to build a fire and keep it going, and what to do when the weather turns bad. You should also get into the habit of picking up better equipment and clothes when you come across it. Don’t grow too attached to rusty swords and threadbare shirts.”

Link nodded to all of this, and the old man returned the gesture before standing up. “Follow me then.”


	5. Rattled

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Armed with the skills he needs, Link finally checks out that point on his Sheikah Slate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, I'm getting a little better at the whole "daily" thing. :D 
> 
> Please enjoy!

### Rattled

With more survival skills under his belt Link felt better adept at taking on the strange, but familiar, world around him. He could hunt and cook to stave off hunger, and he had learned how to make the most of what the environment provided for him. There were things around the Great Plateau he would have overlooked if not for the old man’s tutelage; things such as the broad Korok leaves that grew on certain trees, and the mushrooms that provided a boost in energy and endurance.

If only the Sheikah Slate was just as helpful. The artifact had a window on one side, and by running his fingers along it Link could inspect a map of the world around him. But the map was blank, providing only the outline of the Plateau’s border, and he fell to wondering how to better make use of it. That was when the spot on the Slate’s map caught Link’s eye. That was the point the voice had been urging him towards for the past day and night. He decided to finally set off for it.

Link expected to find a grand ruin at the spot. Instead, he found a high hill of rock that sheltered a pedestal similar to the ones he had encountered upon waking. Monsters roamed the barren land that surrounded the hill. Link sneaked around what monsters he could, and vanquished what ones he couldn’t. When he reached the pedestal, a voice from it directed him to place the Slate in the rectangular slot. Link studied the pedestal, wondering where the voice was emerging from, before deciding to place the Slate. The pedestal accepted it, and a red light flashed from the Slate’s window. 

“Sheikah Tower activated. Please watch for falling rocks.”

The words had barely registered in Link’s ears when tremors began to shake the ground beneath him. He scrambled to maintain his footing, but soon toppled to the ground. He closed his eyes and rode out the shaking while the roar of falling debris crashed against his ears. He was being lifted; he felt the air pushing down on him, pinning him, as the ground shot up.

When the shaking had gone, Link opened his eyes and gained his feet. He now stood at the top of a tall tower. The Sheikah Slate, still in its pedestal, sat beneath a stalactite-like stone that hung from the roof of the tower. A blue light was forming on the stone, and as Link watched the light dropped onto the Slate like a tear. 

“Regional map extracted.”

Link leaned in and watched the map on the Slate fill in, showing topography, location names, and tree cover. He stood on a tower in the northeast of the Great Plateau. The size of the area stunned him. This was but one small area. Just how big was this world around him? He took back the Sheikah Slate in trembling hands and made to leave, but the warm voice stopped him.

_Remember…_


	6. Endeavor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link takes a small step.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Please enjoy!

### Endeavor

_You have been asleep for the past one hundred years._

It was impossible! But the more Link thought on it, the more convinced he grew. After all, he had heard the voice’s earnest plea. He had seen the evil circling the castle where only a pinprick of light shined out. Was she in there? He wanted to help her and all of Hyrule, but…

_One_ hundred _years?_

If no help had come to Hyrule in the past century, what was it about him that could make a difference? He didn’t even have any past experiences to fall back on. Fighting came natural to him, sure, but that alone wouldn’t keep him alive when he had no idea what he was facing. Courage on its own wasn’t enough. He needed power, and wisdom.

Link raised trembling hands to cover his face. His fingers stung with small cuts and brush burns. In the aftermath of the voice’s revelation, he had been distracted in his climb down the tower. Now he sat in the tower’s shadow with his back to that terrible castle. A shiver went through him when he recalled the tremors that had shook the tower in the wake of the evil entity’s power.

A call pulled Link’s eyes up, and he watched the old man float down to him with the assistance of an object of cloth and wood. It was a paraglider, the old man explained before he stowed the object away. Some magic or another shrunk the paraglider down into his pocket. “I can see the weight of your task is already heavy on your shoulders,” the old man added after he had studied Link. 

Link nodded and dropped his head. He felt lost as to where to even begin, and he told the old man this in a somewhat shamed voice.

“You have no memories of your past,” the old man sympathized. “You don’t even recognize the voice that’s been speaking to you, do you? A pity. Well, your first step would be to get off of the Great Plateau, but for that you would need a paraglider of your own. I could give you mine…” The old man studied Link again when the younger man raised hopeful eyes. “But first, I want you to gather some things for me. Come along.”

He led Link to the top of a small rise that hung over a pond. Across the pond sat a conical structure. Link recognized it as the place where he had taken shelter last night. “That is a shrine,” the old man explained. “When you activated the tower, it too was activated—as well as many others across the land. There are four here on the Plateau. Complete their trials and return to me with proof of your accomplishments, and I’ll trade you for the paraglider.”

Link looked to the shrine. Here was a small step to start his journey, and he took it with renewed determination. He could do this. He _would_ do this.


	7. Magnesis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link descends into his first shrine and gains a new power.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thank you for reading! Please enjoy!

### Magnesis

A pass of the Sheikah Slate over the now-activated pedestal opened the shrine to Link. He descended into it with trepidation. What sort of trial awaited him belowground? He reached up for the sword grip behind his shoulder and stood tense.

A quiet foyer met him. Link relaxed when he saw no enemies, and he stepped forward. At once a different voice spoke up, and he stilled to listen.

_To the one who sets foot in this shrine… I am Oman Au. In the name of Goddess Hylia, I offer this trial._

The Goddess Hylia? Link thought back on the statue he had prayed to in the Temple of Time. 

The room was mostly bare. Colored lights decorated the walls, and two metal plates sat on the ground. Link tried to move these, but even his strength was of no help. He cast around for any tools, and his eyes landed on a pedestal similar to the one he had found atop the Sheikah Tower. Like before, Link offered the Slate to the pedestal, and a voice said, “Sheikah Slate authenticated. Distilling Rune…”

The liquid light dropped onto the Slate, and a symbol appeared in the window along with the word ‘Magnesis.’ 

“Rune extracted,” the pedestal chimed.

When Link took the Slate back, he felt it tremble with newfound power. The Magnesis symbol flashed, beckoning him to touch it. No harm had come from the Slate thus far, so Link pressed a finger to the symbol with little hesitation. At once, his vision reddened as a grid of lines spread out from the now-glowing Sheikah Slate to splash across the room. He yelped in surprise and dropped the Slate; the lines vanished. 

_Link…_ It was the woman’s voice, soothing in his mind. _Do not be afraid. Runes are there to help you advance in your journey. They have great power if used correctly._

Link moved his head in a trembling nod. He picked up the Slate and dragged a finger across the window to bring forth the Magnesis symbol. Another press washed the room in the red lines again. This time, Link looked around with a steady gaze and noticed the metal plates were shining a brighter red. Of course. _Magnesis._

When Link focused on the plates, they turned yellow. The Slate was reacting to his mind? He thought about moving one of the plates, and the Slate took on a U-shaped rainbow light between his hands. The two prongs of light latched onto the left plate, and Link was able to lift it as easily as if it was a feather. He swung it around the room, marveling at how easy it was to manipulate the heavy plate. He released Magnesis’s hold when he noticed the plate had hid a staircase. 

The second plate was moved aside with less fanfare, and Link looked down at the stairs he had uncovered. A feeling beckoned him to descend, and he followed it without pause; the Sheikah Slate thrummed on his hip.


	8. Tried

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link is tested in his first shrine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Please enjoy!

### Tried

Past the shrine’s shallow staircase, Link found a wall of square stones blocking his path. There was space above them between the top of the wall and the low ceiling—easily reachable. Link ran at the wall, but no sooner had his feet braced against the wall did they slip off, finding no purchase. He dropped to the floor with a pained wince. Despite the stones’ rough look they were smoother than glass, and as slippery as ice. Link had a feeling he wouldn’t be climbing anything within the shrine.

While Link mildly fumed, a stone shinier than the others caught his eye. It was on the bottom row, and his reflection warped against its side when he leaned in. A rap of his knuckles confirmed Link’s guess: the ‘stone’ was a metal block. Link gained his feet and activated Magnesis on the Sheikah Slate. He pulled the block out with the Rune’s power, and the stones atop it tumbled down. Link hurdled them only to duck back behind them almost at once when a stab of blue energy lanced towards him.

So there was danger here after all. The thing now attacking Link had a squat body supported on octopus-like legs. The energy beam shot out of its singular eye whenever it got a good look at Link. Aside from this one attack, it wasn’t too aggressive. Link had a feeling as long as he stayed out of sight he could avoid injury. But the path ahead of him ran across sections of raised stone with too much space between to jump them. When he dared to study the area, he spied another metal plate that could act as a bridge.

But first… Link listened to the click-clack of the monster’s metal claws and was inspired to try Magnesis on it. He was dismayed to learn the Rune had no effect on the monster. What was he to do now? His Bokoblin shield wouldn’t hold up against the energy beam. He needed some sturdier defense if he was to get close to the monster and destroy it.

The gleam of the metal block caught Link’s eye. Like the stone at his back, the block was large enough to cover Link. An idea came to mind, and with a grin he latched onto the block with Magnesis. Under his control, the block swung up and around towards the monster. It brushed aside the heavier stone blocks as if they were dry leaves, and it landed a sound blow to the monster’s side when he swung it down. The monster was knocked over the side of the first stone section, and it broke apart with a shower of sparks in the shallow water that covered the floor. The way was now clear. Link released his hold on the block and turned his attentions to the metal plate.


	9. Goal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link comes to the end of the Magnesis shrine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Please enjoy!

### Goal

Beyond a heavy pair of metal doors—maneuvered via Magnesis—Link found a strange sight. A cube of blue light sat upon a dais at the top of a short set of stairs. It looked to be the center of the shrine, and within the light sat a shriveled person of no discernible gender. Their long white hair spilled around their corpse-like body, and jewelry hung on their stiff limbs. It was as if they had died in a meditative position.

Link reached out to touch a tearing eye that sat on the surface of the light. It disappeared in a ripple, and the cube shattered into hundreds of hair-thin shards of light. Link started back a step, but was calmed by the voice that came into his mind. It was the voice that had greeted him upon entering the shrine.

_You have proven to have the resolve of a true hero. I am Oman Au, the creator of this trial…_

Link listened, awed, as the self-named monk explained how they, too, worked against Ganon. The monster’s name rang bells in Link’s head, and he thought back on the dark cloud he had seen above the castle on the horizon. The one the woman’s voice had warned him about. The one he was supposed to fight.

_Please accept this Spirit Orb._

Link watched a purplish orb appear from the monk’s wizened chest. It floated to Link's chest where it broke apart into white light that was absorbed into him. He put a hand to his chest when he felt… something there. It was an odd feeling.

_May the Goddess forever smile upon you._

The monk’s remains melted away into green light. Link was left to return the way he had come. He felt the new weight in his chest the whole way. So this was the “proof” of his accomplishments that the old man had asked for? But it was only one of four. What sort of trials awaited Link in the other shrines, and where was he to find them?

When Link emerged from the shrine, he searched for the old man with eyes squinted against the afternoon sun. He was nowhere around. Link looked across the pond and spied the Sheikah Tower. He could climb that and get his bearings. Perhaps he could spot the other shrines as well, or the old man. And he wanted another look at the castle; another look at the evil power that rested within it.


	10. Explosive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link gets yet another new toy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Please enjoy!

### Explosive

The second shrine granted Link a second Rune. When he activated it on the Sheikah Slate, a choice was presented to him: round, or square. He chose the round option, and a blue bomb appeared in his hands. He studied it, turning and lifting it, as he took in its peculiar glow. The light wafted off of the bomb like tendrils of smoke. The square bomb, when he conjured one, was the same. 

The Sheikah Slate had changed once again. Now the word ‘Detonate’ flashed in its window. Link put several feet worth of distance between him and the bombs before he pressed on the word. With a crack, the round bomb exploded. Its force set the square bomb off as well. A dome of blue energy spread out in the aftermath of the blast, crackling. 

Link grinned in the wake of the blast. He could already see how beneficial the bombs were going to be. He liked the way the explosion had rocked through the floor and up into the soles of his boots. But for now, he had to clear the trial ahead of him. He could see stone contraptions ahead. They were angled towards the back of the room where the blue light of another monk’s resting place glowed. Slabs of stone punched at the air before withdrawing for a pause, and then punching forward again. Link was sure they would be powerful enough to send the bombs across the shrine—and perhaps himself as well.

It wasn’t long before Link was approaching the shrine’s resident monk. Like before, the monk praised Link for making it so far before offering him another Spirit Orb. The sensation of the Orb being absorbed into Link was just as strange as the first time. What was the purpose of these Orbs? What did the old man want with them? Did they hold some strange power, or were they valuable in a more monetary sense? Link put the questions aside, having no ideas.

Outside the shrine, Link set his eyes onto the mountaintop that sat above the cave where he had awoken. He had spied the orange glow of another shrine at its top while inspecting the land from the Sheikah Tower. He could see a path winding up around the base of the mountain. Long-broken arches of stone marked the once-road. Link set out for the mountain with determination. Along the way, he picked up what supplies he found useful; spare arrows, a newer shield, and a sword. There was no telling what awaited him on the mountain.


	11. Numb

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link doesn't always think things through.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please enjoy, thank you!

### Numb

The barely-there road wound around the bottom of the mountain and up a shallow incline that gradually guided Link into higher elevation. While he walked, he studied what remained of the stone arches that lay in pieces on both sides of the road, or hung half-broken over him. Hints of a royal crest were carved into the arches. Link was able to make out what were likely the wings of a bird, along with three triangles. When his fingers traced the latter, he felt something stab through his mind like an invisible knife. 

_tri—_

The pain was as powerful as it was sudden, striking at the center of his head. He jerked his left hand away with a cry and fell back onto his rear. When he raised his hand to his aching head, he found the fingers trembling. The hand was gripped in a hard cramp. It faded away along with the headache once Link forced himself back onto his feet and got moving.

A new tremble worked its way into Link’s body the higher he climbed, however it wasn’t because of pain or fear this time. The temperature was dropping, and fast. To Link, it felt as if he had only just registered the shift to cold weather when he was suddenly shin-deep in snow. It pressed into his pants, at once soaking them, and slipped down into his boots to numb his heels. All around him, the sun glinted off of the expanse of white snow. It was blinding to look at, broken only a little here and there by sharp-edged rocks where the snow had failed to cling. Even the sky was pale up here; veiled by grey snow clouds. 

Rather than turn back, Link trudged on in hopes of finding shelter and some wood to start a fire. The snow slowly deepened, climbing his legs inch by inch until he could no longer feel anything below his hips. His steps slowed, his feet dragged, and his skin first reddened before beginning to turn blue. He could no longer see the road that had brought him here, and there was no shelter in sight. Realizing this, Link stopped and looked around the bleak mountain. It all looked the same. The only thing that had changed was the dropping temperature.

Perhaps… Perhaps if he only rested for a while… Link dropped to his knees in the snow and hunched over, arms tight against his chest. He would take a few minutes to rest and catch his breath, and then he would turn around and follow his footprints back to the road. He whispered this plan to himself until his lips stiffened and his eyes closed. He didn’t see the large shadow that fell over him a minute later.


	12. Warmed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link gets a little spicy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Please enjoy!

### Warmed

Dreams about blue lights and disembodied voices faded away when Link opened his eyes. He found himself laying on the floor of a cave. A fire cast light around the shelter, highlighting the old man who sat on the other side and the heavy blanket that lay over Link. He shifted beneath the blanket and found he was bare save for his smallclothes.

The old man saw Link sit up in alarm, and he begged for calm. “You’re fine,” he insisted when Link looked to him. “If I had kept those cold clothes on you, you would be dead.” He pointed up, and Link followed to find his clothes hanging from a line. He watched a chunk of slush free itself from a soaked hem and drop into the fire with a hiss. “You’re quite impulsive, do you know that? It may kill you one of these days.”

Link dropped his raised chin when a smell caught his nose. The old man was stirring something in a small pot over the fire. Link’s sinuses were stuffed up, but one whiff of the steam wafting from the pot cleared them. He watched the old man spoon a red liquid out of the pot and into a cup that he passed to Link. There were small seeds dotting the surface of the drink, and Link frowned at them.

“It’s spicy elixir, made from spicy peppers,” the old man explained. “It will keep your body from freezing to death for a short while, even if you were to go out as you are now. It doesn’t hold up against icy water, however, so stay clear of the river that’s nearby.” He stood up with a groan and brushed dirt from his pants. “It’s only fair that an old feller like me gets a head start. Meet me on the mountaintop and I’ll give you something else that will help against the cold.”

The old man walked out of the cave and vanished into the snowy landscape. He didn’t take any elixir with him, but then he was dressed in heavier clothes than Link had found so far. With a dubious look, Link swirled the elixir before taking a sip. It went down his throat like warm syrup with a sweet and spicy taste. He grimaced, but downed the rest of the elixir in quick swallows when he felt the first sip begin to warm him from the inside. By the time the cup was emptied, every inch of Link’s body thrummed with warmth. He licked his lips clean, gathered his equipment, and left the cave. His bare skin shrugged off the cold with hardly a goosebump.

The world looked different from the top of the mountain. It felt different too once the old man gave Link what he had promised: a warm quilted shirt, Hylian trousers, and gloves and boots. Link at once donned them before turning to study the view. It was a while before he realized the old man had left.


	13. Nightlife

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The night brings some thoughts to Link.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!

### Nightlife

A mountaintop shrine granted Link a new Rune, labeled as Cryonis on the Sheikah Slate. It drew water up into a frozen column which he could climb or use as a barrier between himself and enemies. Another touch of the Cryonis Rune shattered the column, reducing it to water once more. Link enjoyed getting to know the Rune, and found delight in moving doors and crossing freezing water with its help. 

By the time Link reached the lower, warmer climate at the foot of the mountain he had a confidence in his steps that wasn’t there before. The sun was setting on another day, but he was unafraid of the coming night. There was a hollow nearby roofed by the thick, crisscrossing roots of a massive tree. Link made his way there and stowed his possessions beneath the tree. He wasn’t ready to sleep yet. He wanted to watch the night awaken. He emerged from the hollow into a crowd of fireflies, and climbed the tree to peek out over its crown.

The stars were blooming to life against the darkening field of the night sky. Link looked to one spot, saw one star, and a blink later there were five more surrounding it. On the horizon, the moon was working its slow way upwards. Around Link, owls hooted questions and crickets played their music. Despite the significant differences, the nighttime scenery reminded him strongly of the mountaintop view he had studied earlier that day. It had the same sense of serenity.

There was one thing that didn’t belong, however. Link found his eyes drawn north, and his gaze fell upon the evil energy circling the distant castle. Streaks of dark purple light marked the twisted lines the energy painted against the sky. Link shuddered and at once felt cold. He refastened his quilted shirt before climbing down the tree. Atop a bed of leaves, Link fell asleep with troubled thoughts on his empty mind. 

He dreamed of lightning, fire, and figures in shadow. Flames pressed against his back, and blades flashed through the air. When blinding light filled his eyes, he snapped awake to find the world thrumming with morning life. Birdsong had replaced the crickets’ music, and the sun had warmed the air. Link sat up with a groan and felt his sore body protest around his joints. His back was soaked with sweat under the quilted shirt, so he removed both it and his undershirt and stored them away.

One more shrine awaited Link. One more Spirit Orb to collect. Then he could lay claim to the paraglider and see what else awaited him beyond the Great Plateau. He was both eager and cautious about what lay ahead. He wondered how long it would be before he felt comfortable within this world, and if he would ever regain his memories of it. Link decided to ask the old man the next time he saw him. He felt he deserved some answers.


	14. Halted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some things trouble Link.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please enjoy, thank you!

### Halted

The Stasis Rune. It was found within the last shrine on the Great Plateau. Caught up in the shrine’s trial and the feeling of accomplishment when he earned the fourth Spirit Orb, Link hadn’t paid much mind to the Rune beyond its practical use – stopping large stone balls and building up energy in them to send them flying when Stasis’s power ran out.

Now that he was out of the shrine, Link sat in the shadow of a ruined wall and watched a sizzlewing butterfly freeze in midair when he applied the Stasis Rune to it. Once the Rune’s power wore out and it had recharged, Link stalled the butterfly again. The insect didn’t fall to the ground like he expected, but rather remained in the air. He didn’t dare touch it at such times. He was afraid a press of his finger would harm the butterfly once the Rune wore off.

Watching the butterfly seemingly come to life again and again struck a strange chord in Link. He couldn’t stop thinking about the shrine in which he had awoken. The shrine he had, apparently, spent a hundred years in. Was it a power much like Stasis that had kept him asleep for so long? If so, why had so much time passed before he was woken up? It was clear Hyrule had needed a hero much sooner than now. Why did he go to sleep in the first place? These were the questions that Link wanted to ask the old man. He had hoped to find him upon exiting the shrine, but it appeared he would need to search. 

The butterfly was allowed to continue pollinating without pause. Link gained his feet, slipped the Sheikah Slate into its sling on his hip, and set off for the nearby woods. He had come across a simple log house in the woods earlier in his journey. If the old man was staying anywhere, it would likely be there. 

The woods weren’t dense, but the numerous trees combined with the hilly ground made getting lost too easy. It was difficult for Link to keep his eyes everywhere, and soon he found himself tripping down into a small depression. He rolled to a stop and spat dirt out of his mouth when he gained his feet. A tremble in the earth nearly sent him sprawling again, and he spun around to see a collection of boulders join together. Slack-jawed, he watched a wide boulder form arms and legs out of multiple, smaller boulders. There was no head, but an outcropping of dark ore stuck out of the monster’s back.

Link staggered back two steps. The movement caught the monster’s attention and it headed for him, building up speed quickly. One of its arms lifted as if it was reaching out, and a boulder disengaged itself from the arm to shoot at Link. It was the last thing he saw before his vision went black.


	15. Bitter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link is cured of his aches and pains.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Link, eat your vegetables.

### Bitter

The old man again. He sat beside Link, bathed in firelight. Link could barely focus on him, so intense was the pain. All he could remember was stone filling his vision, and then agony as his broken body was pulled away from the monster, which had lost interest in the stilled young man.

Link was lucky to be alive, the old man said more than once while his aged hands worked on what he promised would be a fast cure. Link couldn’t imagine what could possibly heal the broken bones and intense bleeding that made each attempt at moving a nightmare. But the old man hadn’t let him astray yet, although Link began to second-guess this when a pulsing, round, purple organ was offered to him.

“Bite,” the old man ordered. The organ twitched in his open palm, steaming with heat, yet to him it seemed no more abnormal than an apple. “It’s Bokoblin liver stuffed with Hylian shrooms and hearty radishes. It will heal you.”

Link turned his head away with a moan of pain and disgust that sharpened into a cry when the old man seized his chin. Link’s jaws were forced open, and the liver was shoved towards his mouth. The stench was terrible, and the liver spilled bitter juices down Link’s chin when he bit down. The mushrooms and radishes did nothing to disguise the overwhelmingly foul taste. 

“Swallow,” the old man growled. 

Link blinked away tears and somehow managed to force a mouthful down his tight throat. His gag reflex kicked in, but he fought it back. The barely-chewed bite worked its slow, painful way to his stomach. He gasped once his throat was clear.

“Fool,” the old man chided while Link recovered his breath. “Didn’t I tell you your impulsiveness would kill you one day? Try moving now.”

Link tested his limbs and neck. The aches were receding at a fast clip, and there were no more broken bones stabbing his body with pain. He sat up and studied his body as if expecting to see magic working over him.

The old man chuckled despite himself. “There are better-tasting remedies, but you needed to be taught a lesson. You would think sleeping under the eye of the Sheikah would have made you more alert. Alas...”

This reminder of Link’s strange awakening called to mind the questions he had wanted to put to the old man. He lifted his eyes and caught the old man’s paler blue gaze. They passed a moment of silence together.

“You have questions,” the old man guessed, and Link nodded. “I have answers… but it’s not time yet. You still have some growing to do.” He ignored Link’s glare. “What I can offer you instead is what we agreed upon—the paraglider. Follow me.” He stood up, banked the fire, and headed off for the Great Plateau’s edge with his walking stick in-hand. After gathering his weapons and equipment, Link followed.


	16. Fledgling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link gets the much-awaited paraglider.

### Fledgling

They stood together on the edge of the Great Plateau, looking over the wild land that stretched to the horizon. Neither of them said anything for several minutes. A hawk glided into view, crying out. Link watched it with an envious expression, wondering when he would be granted the paraglider.

The old man shook himself out of whatever thoughts he had fallen into. “We must protect this beautiful land of Hyrule,” he said, and Link nodded in silent agreement. “Follow me.”

Link already had followed him to the edge, but now the old man walked away, making a straight line for the Temple of Time. Link frowned but followed regardless, and they eventually walked into the shadows of the half-collapsed temple. The goddess smiled down at them with her lips of stone. The old man called her Hylia. It was a name the monks had mentioned within the shrines.

“You’ve gained proof of your heroics by completing the trials set in front of you, correct?” the old man asked Link, who nodded. “Kneel down, and offer that proof to the Goddess.”

Link stepped up to the base of the Goddess and knelt before the smaller effigies that crowded the base of the statue. His head dropped and his eyes closed in a prayer. He felt an urge to put a hand to his chest, and when he did he felt the warmth and weight of the Spirit Orbs swell beneath his palm. They escaped him in a flash of soft light, and he raised his head to watch them circle his body before rising to fall into the Goddess’s open palms. 

The light faded, and Link gained his feet. The old man looked pleased. “You’ve taken the first step of many towards saving Hyrule,” he said. “What path you walk from here is up to you. Now, I believe this is what you’ve been waiting for.”

The paraglider was lighter than Link expected. The old man taught him the trick to shrinking it down to pocket size—strange magic to be sure—before he once more led Link to the edge of the Great Plateau. He didn’t rush Link, nor did he discourage him from setting off at once. He simply wished Link good luck, turned around, and walked back into the woods.

Link stood on the line between two worlds. In his short time on the Plateau he had seen much but still hadn’t learned everything about it. Now he was supposed to set out into a much larger world he knew nothing about. Perhaps he should rethink his approach; get more experience. Link turned away from the edge. He was only a few yards away from it when courage unexpectedly seized him. He spun around, ran for the edge, and leaped out into the open air. At the apex of his jump he pulled out the paraglider. It unfolded between his hands, its sail caught a warm updraft, and he began a slow descent into an unknown world.


End file.
